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Chipola advances to Gulf District softball final

Published: Saturday, May 4, 2013 at 08:48 PM.

PENSACOLA — The teams that win state softball championships are those that harness momentum. To say Chipola has it would be an understatement.

Chipola blasted Polk State 11-0 in a five-inning run-rule Saturday in the FCSAA Gulf District/NJCAA Region 8 softball tournament at Exchange Park in Pensacola. The Lady Indians (41-9) advanced to Sunday’s 10 a.m. Gulf District final where a national tournament berth is within a victory. Chipola will play the losers’ bracket survivor in the game and would need to lose twice in a row to fail to move on to nationals for the third time and first since 2010.

Chipola scored 32 runs in its three tournament wins, including amassing 11 in two consecutive triumphs. Saturday’s game was the second to end in the run rule, as Chipola also beat State College of Florida 10-2 in six innings Friday.

The Polk encounter lasted into the fifth thanks to Chipola opening up an 11-0 lead through three innings. The Lady Indians broke through for five runs in the first, four in the second and the final two in the third. Polk countered with only two hits and matched the total with two errors.

Katie Harrison was 2 for 3 and her three-run home run off losing pitcher Haleigh Corbally capped the second inning. Harrison scored twice and drove in four runs for Chipola, which rapped out 13 hits.

Megan Borak was 2 for 3 with a two-run homer in the first and scored twice, Stephanie Garrels 3 for 4 with two runs, Jasmine Tanksley and Mya Anderson each had two RBIs and Kristen Allen had two hits for the Lady Indians. Eva Voortman had one strikeout and no walks in earning her third win of the tournament.

Kylee Stearns and Margaret Roberts each singled to account for Polk’s hits. Corbally lasted into the second inning and was replaced by Kayla Montgomery after yielding eight runs on six hits with no strikeouts or walks. Montgomery finished the final 2 1/3 innings with two strikeouts and two walks while giving up three runs on seven hits.

PENSACOLA — The teams that win state softball championships are those that harness momentum. To say Chipola has it would be an understatement.

Chipola blasted Polk State 11-0 in a five-inning run-rule Saturday in the FCSAA Gulf District/NJCAA Region 8 softball tournament at Exchange Park in Pensacola. The Lady Indians (41-9) advanced to Sunday’s 10 a.m. Gulf District final where a national tournament berth is within a victory. Chipola will play the losers’ bracket survivor in the game and would need to lose twice in a row to fail to move on to nationals for the third time and first since 2010.

Chipola scored 32 runs in its three tournament wins, including amassing 11 in two consecutive triumphs. Saturday’s game was the second to end in the run rule, as Chipola also beat State College of Florida 10-2 in six innings Friday.

The Polk encounter lasted into the fifth thanks to Chipola opening up an 11-0 lead through three innings. The Lady Indians broke through for five runs in the first, four in the second and the final two in the third. Polk countered with only two hits and matched the total with two errors.

Katie Harrison was 2 for 3 and her three-run home run off losing pitcher Haleigh Corbally capped the second inning. Harrison scored twice and drove in four runs for Chipola, which rapped out 13 hits.

Megan Borak was 2 for 3 with a two-run homer in the first and scored twice, Stephanie Garrels 3 for 4 with two runs, Jasmine Tanksley and Mya Anderson each had two RBIs and Kristen Allen had two hits for the Lady Indians. Eva Voortman had one strikeout and no walks in earning her third win of the tournament.

Kylee Stearns and Margaret Roberts each singled to account for Polk’s hits. Corbally lasted into the second inning and was replaced by Kayla Montgomery after yielding eight runs on six hits with no strikeouts or walks. Montgomery finished the final 2 1/3 innings with two strikeouts and two walks while giving up three runs on seven hits.

Polk (41-19) dropped into the losers’ bracket and played Hillsborough (41-24) late Saturday for the right to face Chipola in the final. Hillsborough moved on with victories over South Florida and Northwest Florida State Saturday. NWF State (41-16) eliminated Panhandle Conference foe Pensacola (25-25) before being ousted by Hillsborough.

Chipola had a breather the rest of Saturday and will seek its third Gulf District title Sunday. The Gulf District winner faces the Atlantic District victor for the state title later in the day. Chipola won state titles in 2007 and 2010, the former season also ending in the school’s first national championship.